Since the last bulletin to staff on the Alberton Project, the themes coming from the March Community Opportunity Workshop have been prioritised and initial actions commenced. The responsibility to evaluate and progress the themes has been given to the Strategy Group chaired by Mr. Bill Kee. The Strategy Group has divided its members into 3 sub-groups titled “Resources”, “Social Capital”, and “Employment & Training”.
The sub-groups cover all the themes from the COW, and the first actions to be followed up include;
• the gathering of agricultural statistics so that a snapshot of existing agricultural practices can be documented. From this data, the Resources group will make projections on alternative and value adding practices so that a forward agricultural strategy can be developed,
• working with the Shire to ensure that the Yarram district benefits from the expected increased output of softwood timber,
• representations to the Shire seeking a strategic planning approach to the future use of public open space within the district; Council has endorsed these recommendations and will give priority to the future use of the former railway lands and better presentation of Yarram Memorial Park,
• meetings with students from Yarram College to get a picture of the views of young persons and particularly to discuss the lack of employment opportunity for students leaving school and wishing to remain in the district,
• the need for some form of public transport from Yarram to larger centres,
• the formation of a tourism task force to discuss a more coordinated approach to tourist promotion,
• holding an education & training forum at which education providers and employers discussed the development of a workplan to ensure co-operation between all providers and the most appropriate curriculum options for academic and vocationally focused education.
Outcomes from these initiatives will be reported in future bulletins.
